How Video Games Help Kids with ADHD

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had your parents hover over you, asking you to quit playing your video games. But you just say: “please, one last game.” The thing is, what people don’t get sometimes is that for a kid with ADHD, video games can actually be really valuable.

This probably seems like I’m making up excuses so I can spend more time playing, but it’s true! There’s actually so much research done on this. Here are two reasons why ADHD kids love playing video games:

1 – There’s always something going on on screen so we have to react fast. So it doesn’t allow us to get as distracted as we typically would be. When I’m on screen, there’s almost always coming at me that I need to deal with in like a second.

2 – Bursts of attention! Video games require us to switch our attention continuously, and not keep it on a single thing.

As for me, I see my own benefits of playing video games as well.

You all know that kids with ADHD can struggle making friends but a virtual world actually provides a way to make friends in an “emotionally safe” space. This means that even if I make a mistake, I can quickly fix it in the game. So, I can have a social life when often at school us kids with ADHD don’t have one. Plus, online friends don’t judge.

The cool thing is, a lot of people at school also play video games so it’s a good topic to bond over with kids at recess. It makes fitting in much much easier!

I love helping people out. And I get the chance to do that multiple times when I’m playing. Reviving a dead character feels good because there’s often a real kid on the other end of the line.

Don’t worry, I’m trying not to spend all my time playing video games! I know i’ve got other things to do too.

Are you also really into video games? Which games do you play? I would love recommendations!

~ Jeff